Railway switch controlling apparatus



Nov. 17, 1931. s, YOUNG 1,832,520

RAILWAY SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 22, 193] I N VEN TOR.

H.. 5, Ya unq, BY @K'W M ATTORNEY.

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Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY S. YOUNG, FWILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH 82; SIGNALCOMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIABAILWAY SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application filed January 22, 1931.

My invention relates to railway switch controlling apparatus, andparticularly to the indication mechanism commonly provided in apparatusof that character for governing the movements of the switch controllinglever.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic View showing one form ofapparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character G designates a railwayswitch having the usual normal and reverse positions. This switch isoperated by a switch mechanism H, which, as here shown, is of the elec-'tropneumatic type, although other suitable types of mechanism can beused in connection with my invention; The mechanism H is provided withthe usual normal magnet N reverse magnet R and lock magnet Q, it beingunderstood that when the normal and lock magnets are energized, theswitch will be moved to its normal position, whereas when the reverseand lock magnets are energized,

the switch will be moved to its reverse position.

The switch mechanism H is controlled by a lever L having a normalposition N, a reverse position R, a normal indicating position B, and areverse indicating position D. Associated with the lever L is a detectorlock A, comprising a segment 2 attached to the lever and co-acting witha dog 3 which is governed by an armature 5 of a magnet a. This lock isso arranged that when the lever is in either the normal or the reverseposition, the dog 3 will prevent movement of the lever unless the magnetlis energized to lift the dog out of the path of the shoulder on thesegment. Also associated with the lever L is an indication lock 0,comprising a segment 2 attached to the lever and coacting with a dog 3which is controlled by the armature 5 of a second magnet 4. This lockisso arranged that the lever cannot be moved beyond either indicatingposition-unless the magnet t is energized to lift the dog 3 out of thecentral notch in the segment 2, although Serial No. 510,338.

the lever is free to move from either indicatmg position to the otherwhile this magnet is deenergized.

The detector lock A and the indication lock C' are controlled jointly byan indication relay E and an indication selector relay F.

The indication relay E is of the polarized type; as here shown, it is aninduction motor relay having two stator windings 7 and8, and a rotor 6controlling two contacts 9 and 10. This relay will of course be providedwith other contacts for the control of signals 111 accordance with usualpractice, but such contacts do not enter into the present inventionandareomitted from the drawing to simplify the disclosure. Winding 7 ofrelay E is constantly supplied with alternating current of fixedrelative polarity from a suitable source, which is not shown in thedrawing, but the terminals of which are desigrated X and Y. Alternatingcurrent of normal or reverse relative polarity is at times supplied towinding 8 by means hereinafter explained. The relay is soarranged thatwhen winding 8 is supplied with current of normal relative polarit frontcontact 99 Wlll be closed, whereas when windlng 8 is supplied withcurrent-of reverse relative polarity and also when either winding of therelay is deenergized, back contacts 99 and 1010l will be closed. 7

The circuit for winding 8 of relay E is supplied with alternatingcurrent from the terminals X and Y, and this circuit includes apole-changer K operated by the switch G, as well asa pole-changer Koperated by the lever L. The pole-changer K is arranged to occupy itsnormalor its reverse position according as the switch is in its normalor' its reverse position. The pole-changer K comprises two contacts N13and N13 both of which are closed when the lever L occupies its normalposition or its normal indicating position or anyposition between thetwo. This pole-changer also comprises two other lever-operated contactsRD and RD both of which are closed when the lever occupies its reverseposition or-its reverse indicating position or any position between thetwo. The two pole-changers are so arranged that when the switch is inthe normal position, current of normal relative polarity is sup plied towinding 8 if the lever is in its normal to normal indicating positions,hut current of reverse relative polarity is supplied to winding 8 if thelever is in its reverse to reverse indicating positions. Furthermore,when the switch G is in its reverse position, the current supplied towinding 8 is of normal relative polarity when the lever is in itsreverse to reverse indicating positions, but of reverse relativepolarity when the lever is in its normal to normal indicating positions.

The indication selector relay F is provided with a pick-up circuit whichincludes back contact 9-9" of relay ll and a Bl) contact operated bylever L. This relay is provided with a stick circuit which includes itsown front contact 11 and the BD contact of lever L.

The circuit for magnet '-l of the detector lock-A is from terminal X,through front contact 9-9 of relay E. back contact 12 of relay F, alatch contact M associated with lever L. and the winding of magnet l toterminal Y. The circuit for magnet l of the indication lock C includesfront con tact 9-9 of relay E and front contact 12- 12 of relay F, andthis circuit will be ohvious from the drawing.

As shown in the drawing, toe switch G is in its normal position. lever Lis in its normal position, relay E is energized in normal direction, andrelay F is deenergized. I will now assume that the operator desires tomove the switch G to its reverse positimi. To do this, he will close thelatch contact M, thereby energizing magnet 4.- of the detector locl: A,so that the lever L will be released. He will then move this lever tothe reverse indicating position D. This will open contacts NB and NRandwillclose contacts RD and RD so that winding 8 of relay E will besupplied with current of reverse relative polarity, with the result thatthe f ont contact of this relay will open and the hack contacts willclose. The closingof back contact 10- 10 of relay E will energize thelock magnet Q, and the closing of lever contact BB will energize thereverse magnet B so that the switch mechanism H will operate to move theswitch to its reverse position. The lever L cannot yet be moved beyondthe D position. because of the indication loch G. The closing of backcontact 9-4)" of relay will cause relay l! to become energized. becausethe BD contact in the picl:up circuit for this relay will now he closed.Relay l will then remain energized long the Bl) contact remains closed.hen the switch reaches its reverse position. pole-changer l? will occupyits reverse position, with the result that current of normal relativepolarity will again be supplied to winding 8 of relay E. The frontcontacts of this relay will then close, with the result that magnet -:lof the indication lock C will become energized to release lever L. Thislever may then he moved to the reverse position R. The opening of backcontactlO-lO" of relay will deenergize loch magnet 4, so that the switchmechanism H will become locked in its reverse position.

The operation of the apparatus in order to restore the switch D to itsnormal position will be understood from the foregoing without detailedexplanation.

It will he observed that the detector lock A cannot be energized unlessthe indi cation relay E is energized in normal direction and theindication selector relay F is de-energized. It will also he observedthat apparatus embodying my invention permits the use of a two-elementtwo-position indication relay l?) instead of the three-position relaynow commonly used for this purpose.

The front conta t 9-9 of relay E is included in the circuit for thedetector lock A for the purpose of insuring that relay l9 and lever Lcorrespond in positions before the lover can be moved away from eitherits full normal or ii lull reverse position. This serves as a guaranteeagainst premature irdication due to improper energization of theindication relay E, because if anything should occur to cause falseencrgization of winding 8 by current of reverse relative polarity, or ifeither winding of relay E should become decnergizcd, front contact 9-4)of this relay will. be opened ano so will prevent energization of thedetector lock magnet l.

The purpose of including hac; con 12-12" of relay l? in the detectorloch circnit is, of course, to insure that the indication selector relayF is deenergizcd before the lever L can be moved away from either itsnormal or its reverse position. The purpose of the indication selectorrelay l to insure that the front contacts of relay 1) will he openedduring an operation of the switch, and this insurance is obtained byrequiring the back contacts of relay E to be closed in order to permitrelay F to become energized. ln other words, the indication lock Ccannot be energized unless relav F is energized, and relay F cannot beenergized unless relay E has been deenergized.

Although I have herein shown and dcscrihed only one form of ap iaratuscmbodv ing my invention, it is understood that various changes andmodifications maybe made therein within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus escribed my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch havnormal and reverse positions, acontrol or for said switch having normal and relli) verse positions asWell as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, a polarizedindication relay having front contacts which are closed when the relayis supplied with current of normal relative polarity and back contactswhich are closed when the relay is supplied with current of reverserelative polarityand also when it is .deenergized, means including apole changer operated by the switch and a pole changer operated by saidlever and operating when the switch is in normal position to supply saidrelay with current of normal relative polarity if the lever is innormal-to normal indicating positions and with current of reverserelative polarity if the lever is in reverse-to-reverse indicatingpositions, said means also operating when the switch is in reverseposition to supply the relay with current of normal relative polarity ifthe lever is in reverse-to-reverse indicating positions and with currentof reverse relative polarity if the lever is in normal-to-norinalindicating positions, an indication select-or relay having a piclnupcircuit including a back contact of said indication relay and a normalindicating to reverse indicating contact of said lever, a stick circuitfor said indication selector relay in cluding said same lever contactbut excluding said indication relay contact, a detector lock for saidlever, means for releasing said look if and only if the front contactsof said indication relay are closed and said indication selector relayis deener ized, an indication lock for said lever, and means forreleasing said indication lock if and only if the front contacts of saidindication relay are closed and said indication selector relay isenergized. 2. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reversepositions, a control lever for said switch having normal and reversepositions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions,a polarized indication relay having front contacts which are closed whenthe relay is supplied with current of normal relative polarity and backcontacts which are closed when the relay is supplied with current ofreverse relative polarity and also when it is deene gized, meansincluding a pole-changer operated by the switch and. a pole-changeroperated by said lever and operating when the switch is in normalposition to supply said relay with current of normal relative polarityif the lever is in normal-to-normal indicating pe sitions and withcurrent of reverse relative polarity if the lever is inreverse-to-reverse indicating positions, said means also operat-ing whenthe switch is in reverse position to supply the relay with current ofnormal relative polarity if the lever is in reverse-rd reverseindicating positions and with current of reverse relative polarity ifthe lever is in normal-to-nor1nal indicating positions, and

means for controlling the movements of said lever by said indicationrelay.

3. In combination, a railway switch, a lever for the control of saidswitch, a polarized indication relay having front contacts which areclosed when the relay is supplied with current of normal relativepolarity and back contacts which are closed when the relay is suppliedwith current of reverse relative polarity and also when it isdeenergized, means for supplying said relay with currentcf normalrelative polarity whens-aid switch and lever harmonize in positions andwith current of reverse relative polarity in response to an initialswitch operating movement of the lever, an indication selector relay,means for energizing said selector re ay when said lever has been movedto an initial switch op erating position and said indication relay backcontacts are closed, and for thereafter eeping the selector relayenergized until the movement of the lever is completed, means forpreventing an initial movement of said lever unless the front contactsof said indication relay are closed and said selector relay isdeenergized, and means for preventing completion of a movement of saidlever unless the front contacts of said indication relay are cl sed andsaidselector relay is energized.

4-, In combination, a railway switch, a lever for the control of sa dswitch, a po ar ized indication relay havingfront contacts which areclos d when the relay is supplied with current of normal relativepolarity and back contacts wh ch are closed when the relay is suppliedwith current of reverse relative polarity and also when it isdeenergized, means for supplying said relav with current of normalrelative polarity when said swi ch and lever harmonize in positions andwith current of reverse re ative polarity in re sponse to an initialswitch operating movement of the lever. and means for co troll ngtheniovements of said lever by said indication relay.

5. In combination, a railway switch havins; normal and reversepositions, a control lever for said switch having normal and reversepositions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicatingpositions, a polarized indication relav having front contacts which arec osed when the relay is supplied with current of normal relativepolarity'and back contacts which are closed when the relay is suppliedwith current of reverse relative polarity and also when it isdeenergized, means, including a pole-changer operated by the switch anda pole-changer operated. by said lever and operating when the switch isin normal position to supply said relay with current of normal relativepolarity if the lever is in normal-toaiormal indicating positions andwith currentot reverse relative polarity if the lcvervis inreverse-to-reverse indicating positions, said means also operatverseindici ting positions and with current of reverse relative polarity ifthe lever is in normal-to-norinal indicating positions, an indicationselector relay havin a pick-up circuit including a back cont-act oi saidindication relay and a normal indicatii g to re verse indicating contactor said lever, a stick l indication selector relay incircuit for Stilt.eluding said same lever contact but excluding said indication relaycontact, and means for controlling the movements of said lever by saidtwo relays.

6. In combination, a railway switch, a lever for the control of saidswitch, a polarized indication relay having front contacts which areclosed when the relay is supplied with current of normal relativepolarity and back contacts which are closed when the relay is suppliedwith current of reverse relative polarity and also when it isdeenergized, means for supplying said relay with current of normalrelative polarity when said switch and lever harmonize in positions andwith current of reverse relative polarity in response to an initialswitch operating movement of the lever, an indication selector relay,means for energizing said selector relay when said lever has been movedto an initial switch operating position and said indication relay backcontacts are closed, and for thereafter keeping the selector relayenergized until the movement of t 1e lever is completed, and means forcontrolling the movements of said lever by said two relays.

7. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions,a control lever for said switch having normal and reverse positions aswell as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, a polarizedindication relay having front contacts which are closed when the relavis supplied with current oi normal relative polarity and back contactswhich are closed when the relay is supplied with current of reverserelative polarity and also when it is deenergized, means including apole-changer operated by the switch and a pole-changer operated by saidlever and operating when the switch is in normal position to supply saidrelay with current of normal relative polarity if the lever is innormal-to-normal indicating positions and with current of reverserelative polarity if the lever is in reverse-to-reverse indicatingpositions, said means also operating when the switch is in reverseposition to supply the relay with current of normal relative polarity itthe lever is in reverse-to-reverse indicating positions and with currentof reverse relative polarity ii the lever is in 1iorinal-to-norinalindicating positions, an indication selector relay having a pick-upcircuit including a back contact of said indication relay and a normalindicating to reverse indicating contact of said lever, a stick circuitfor said indication selector relay including said same lever contact butexcluding sald indication relay contact, means for preventing an initialmovement of said lever unless the front contacts of said indicationrelay are closed and said selector relay is deenergized, and means forpreventing completion of a movement of said lever unless the frontcontacts of said indication relay are closed and said selector relay isenergized.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

HENRY S. YOUNG.

